How Do Abnormalities in the Cerebrospinal Fluid Impact Neuropsychology with Progressing Age?

Abstract

Abstract: The behavior of an individual changes from neonate to elderly due to the development of the central nervous system (CNS). One of the important components of the CNS is the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which bathes the brain and spinal cord. CSF has changing properties throughout life, including composition and volume imbalance. However, a specific age group that shows prevailing abnormality- corresponding behavior remains unclear. The objective of this article is to explore how such changes reflect on one’s psychological as well as physical processing. Production of CSF could be affected by many factors, including its flow, absorption, volume, and composition. Prenatally, congenital malformations and infections hold the greatest risk of impacting the child’s physical and mental growth. In adolescents, transmission of external substances like alcohol or drugs in the cerebrospinal fluid is known to impact severe mood changes that potentially result in suicide and depression. In the adult working population, the influence of stress levels on CSF composition causes anxiety and sleep disorders. Finally, the reduced production of CSF was found to be associated with memory deficits and Alzheimer’s disease in the aging group. From the collected evidence, it can be observed that CSF played an important role in behavioral changes and may be associated with neurodegenerations. By linking the CSF abnormalities to the clinical symptoms at different stages of life, it may provide additional information in the diagnosis of diseases that are associated with neuropsychological changes.